ACTION ALERT:
Contact:
Dr. Robert Gibbens
Director, Animal Welfare Operations, USDA-APHIS
[email protected]
[email protected]
Please levy the MAXIMUM FINE against Wake Forest University for their
blatant disregard of the Animal Welfare Act which led to the deaths of a
monkey and a rabbit, as well as major abuse of cats, rabbits, and sheep.
Their behavior should NOT be tolerated and MUST be punished to the fullest
extent of the law.
Wake Forest School Of Medicine Accused Of Animal Welfare Violations
From Veterinarian Daily News, September 20, 2021
A national watchdog organization is calling on the Wake Forest School of
Medicine for its treatment of laboratory animals. It is the second
organization in a month to request a strong US Department of Agriculture
response.
Stop Animal Exploitation NOW released USDA inspection results last week
documenting the so-called critical and numerous violations of animals such
as cats, monkeys and sheep. The group calls for an immediate investigation
and heavy fines. The response from the Wake Forest School of Medicine is, in
part, “We do not believe this inspection reflects the general care we
provide to our animals, but we acknowledge the deficiencies we have
identified.”
Last month, Dr. John Pippin of the Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine filed a similar USDA complaint against the school for treating
pigs, urging the school to consider surgical training techniques – like
those of other leading programs – that do not use animals.
“If I were in Wake Forest, I would say let’s form a small committee of our
surgery instructors here,” says Pippin. “Let’s look at these references this
guy sent us, let’s talk to them about what they’re doing, and maybe we’re
just a step back and need to think about some changes. That’s what we ask of
them, and they won’t even discuss it. ”
According to the Winston-Salem Journal, the school was reprimanded and / or
fined by the USDA in 2017, 2016 and 2012.